Jay Slater’s ‘body’ was found in ‘dangerous location where one wrong foot would be deadly’, ex-Maddie investigator says
THE body found in the hunt for Jay Slater was recovered in a "dangerous" spot where any wrong step would be fatal, claims ex-Madeleine McCann investigator.
Mark Williams-Thomas, who has been working on the case out in Tenerife, revealed rescue workers would have seriously struggled to scour the ravine after cops labelled it as "very inaccessible".
The 19-year-old Brit vanished 29 days ago after going to a rave the night before with friends - sparking a huge effort to find the Lancashire teen.
Spanish cops axed the official search less than two weeks in - but today announced a body has been found in the area Jay was last known to have been.
Mark broke his silence after the body was recovered as he took to his X account.
He said: "I have now seen video of the search team of the location where Jay Slater was found and it is difficult for people to perhaps understand how dangerous it is.
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"A wrong foot placed, or a slip would most likely be fatal - hence why [it is] so difficult to search that area."
Dramatic footage released from the Tenerife Guardia Civil shows rescue workers using a helicopter to reach an "inaccessible" ravine earlier today.
Officials coordinated with Civil Guard rescue experts who can be seen in the video scouring the mountainous region in Masca.
Rescue workers can be seen hacking at bushes and climbing up the sides of the huge mountains as part of their hunt.
Specialists on the ground are said to have found the body at around 10am this morning.
They winched it up to a hovering chopper before flying the body to safety.
Mark said earlier today the missing Brit could have accidentally fallen to his death.
The Spanish Civil Guard voiced similar fears.
A spokesman announced: "Everything is pointing to the body being that of the young British man who disappeared on June 17, pending full identification.
"Initial inquiries are pointing to him having suffered an accident/fall in the area where he was found."
They added that the search was "complicated" due to the ";very difficult terrain".
It is understood the body was found close to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged - along with his belongings and clothes.
But Spanish cops have refused to reveal the exact location where the body was found.
An autopsy is expected to take place in the next couple of days in the northern Tenerife city of La Laguna.
Jay's distraught family have been updated and a formal investigation by police is set to follow.
A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said they have been notified by the Civil Guard that a body has been found - and that "the indications are that this is Jay Slater".
They added: "While at this stage no formal identification has been carried out our thoughts are very much with Jay’s family at this time, and we continue to offer them our support."
Jay was first reported missing the morning after he travelled to the unforgiving mountainous area of Tenerife in the early hours of June 17.
He went to stay at an Airbnb with two men after a night of partying.
Statement from charity LBT Global
British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global said: "LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.
"It is understood the body was found close to the site of his mobile phone’s last location.
"Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes.
"A post mortem and forensic enquiries will follow.
"LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news."
He then left in the morning where he tried to do an 11-hour trek back to his own accommodation after missing the bus.
One of the men - convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim - says Jay left the house alive.
Jay made a final frantic call to friend Lucy Law to say he was lost, had one per cent phone battery, and needed water.
In an earlier call to friend Brad, his feet could be heard slipping on the rocks.
Former investigator Mark Williams-Thomas - who has been working on the case for weeks - claims to have spoke to Qassim and was told the teen woke up asking to leave the home as he was hungry.
Qassim, who rented out the holiday let, says Jay wanted to go home so he could "get a scran", and was planning on catching a bus.
Mark says that Qassim told him "no bus is coming", and offered to drive him after taking a nap, but the teen left anyway.
It has since been claimed by Mark that Jay left in a panic and was “scared” to return to the Airbnb.
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Tenerife is known as a dangerous place after dark with the holiday hotspot being stuck in a bitter turf war between British drug gangs and the feared Italian mafia.
Despite this, there is no suggestion that Jay was linked to drugs with cops finding no link to criminality in the case.